Automatic pattern controlled machine tool



Oct 1946- H. P. KUEHN! EI'AL AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MACHINE TOOL Fi'led Jan. 19, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invento r-s: Hans P. Kuehni, Norman 6. Bransqn. by 5. 1M4,

amll Their- Attorney.

Oct. 29, 1946.

H. P. KUEHNI ETAL I 2,410,295 AUTOM ATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MACHINE TOOL Filed Jan. 19, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W6 I I I I l I m u c. l: I T "nun-n rm l E Inventor-s: -Hans F2 Kuehni, Norman G. Br-anson.

Their Attorney.

Oct. 29, 1946. H. P. KUEHNI! EI'AL 2,410,295

AUTOI ATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MACHINE TOOL Filed Jan. 19, 1943 3 Sheets-Shet 3 Inventor-s: Hans F. Kuehni, Nor-man G. Branson, by #644 6 M,

Their Attorney.

Patented a. 29, 1945 FFICE] v AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MACHINE TOOL Hans P. Kuehni and Norman G. Brannon, Schenectady, N. Y., assilnors to General Electric Company, a corporation or New York Application January 19, 1943, Serial No.-4'l2,840

. 8 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic pattern controlled machine tools, more particularly to control systems for such machine tools, and a more specific object of the invention is the provision of asimple, reliable, and improved control system of this character.

More specifically, the invention relates to auto matic pattern controlled machine tools such as further object of this invention is the provision of means for eilecting a relative movement of the cutter and work piece at a constant contour speed for all angles of such relative movement so that the tool marks on the work will be evenly spaced irrespective of the shape which is being cut.

The relative movement of the cutter and the work piece in machineftools of this character is controlled by means of a tracer device which is maintained in engagement with the pattern as it is moved along the profile thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a control system for a pattern controlled machine tool in which the two components of the relative movement of the cutter and the work piece are continuously correlated so that the movement is not a series of steps and a fine, stepless finish of the work is obtained.

In carrying the invention into effect in one form thereof, means are provided for supporting the pattern and the work piece in operative relationship with the tracer and cutter, respectively. Suitable driving means controlled bythe-tracer are provided for effecting the relative movement of the cutter and the work piece. This relative movement of the cutter and the work piece is the resultant of two angularly displaced components, e. g.-, a longitudinal movement and a transverse movement. Means controlled by the tracer control the driving meansso that the vector sum of the speeds of these two component'movements is approximately constant irrespective of the magnitude of either, and therefore, irrespective of the angle of the resultant movement. This is accomplished by controlling the driving means in response to continuous variation of the force between the pattern and the tracer so that the speed of one of these components is continuously varied from a maximum value in one direction to a maximum value in the reverse direction, dependent upon the magnitude of the force, and the second component is unidirectional and its speed is simultaneously varied in inverse rela-v tionship to the speed of theflrst component- In a specific embodiment of the invention, the

, milling machines, lathes, and the like, and a tracer device includes a magnetostrictive member, i. e., a member whose magnetic permeability changes in response tothe application of a force to the member. This change inpermeability of the magnetostrictive member is utilized to produce a control voltage which in turn is utilized, to control the driving means in the manner, de-

scribed in the foregoing.

In illustrating the invention in one form thereof, it is illustrated as embodied in a control system for an automatic pattern controlled metal cutting lathe, and also in a control system for a polar co-ordinate type milling machine.

For a better and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may now be had to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a simple, diagrammatical illustration of an embodiment of the invention as applied to a lathe; Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view of the tracer element; Figs. 3 and 4 are simple, diagrammatical illustrations of the sine and cosine regulators which constitute parts ofthe control system; Fig. 5 is a chart of characteristic curves which serve to explain the operation of the invention; Fig. 6 is a'diagrammatical sketch which illustrates graphically the variation of the force between the pattern and the tracer finger at various angles; Figs. '7, 8, 9,

10, and 11 are charts of characteristic curves which illustrate the correlation oi'the speeds of the motors which produce the components of the relative movement of the cutter and work for the angles indicated in Fig. 6; Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic sketch illustrating the constancy of the velocity of the relative movement between the cutter and work at all angles of such relative movement along the contour; Fig. 13 is a view in perspective illustrating an'application of the invention to a polar co-ordinate type milling machine; Figs. 14 and 15 are diagrammatic sketches illustrating the operation of the invention as ap-- plied to the milling machine of Fig. 13, and Fig. 16 is a schematic diagram of an amplifier which constitutes an element of the system.

Referring now to the drawings, it is desired to turn a metallic work piece to so that the final profile will conform accurately 'to the profile of the pattern i I. The work piece III, which may be of steel or other material, is rotated by suitable driving means about a longitudinal axis defined by the lathe centers 01' which only the tail stock 3 electric valve apparatus which may be controlled to adjust the speed of rotation of the work piece to a desired value. Since'the details of this motor and the electric valve control apparatus from which it is supplied constitute no part of the invention, they are omitted from the drawings in the interest of simplicity.

The pattern II is supported by suitable means illustrated as a plate ill to which the pattern II is firmly clamped by suitable means such as clamping screws M. The supporting plate l3 may be securely fastened to the bed of the lathe, or may be built as an integral part of the lathe.

A cutter I5 is held in a tool post it which is mounted in a compound rest comprising an upper cross feed member l1 which is slidably mounted on the cross feed slide of the carriage l8. The carriage I3 is slldably mounted on ways lSa for longitudinal movement along the bedplate IS. The longitudinal movement is efiected by means of a lead screw and a. cooperating threaded member (not shown) with which the carriage is provided.

A tracer 2| is maintained in fixed but adjustable relationship with respect to the cutter by means of a rigid supporting arm 22 to which the tracer 2| is firmly secured and which, in turn, is rigidly secured to the cutter supporting means, i. e., the compound rest ll. Thus the tracer 2i and the cutter l6 are supported in operative relationship, respectively, with the pattern 13 and work piece III.

A preferred construction of the tracer device 2| is illustrated in Fig. 2. It comprises an outer cylindrical shell 23 which is formed of mild steel. The upper portion of the shell 23 is bored to have a larger inside diameter than the inside diameter of the lower portion, thereby to provide a seat for a ring 24 which is preferably made of hard tool steel. A tracer finger 25 which is made of hard tool steel and has a shape which is generally similar to that of a poppet valve is mounted within the bore of the lower portion of the shell with its fianged head bearing on the hardened seating ring 24. The lower end of the finger 25 projects through an opening in the bottom of the cylindrical shell and is of tapering shape to provide a cylindrical portion 25b which serves as the contact point which engages the profile edge of the pattern. The clearance between the finger and the outer shell at the bottom may be made quite small, e. g., .01 inch. A second hard steel ring 26 rests upon the lower hard steel ring 24. As indicated, the inside diameter of the ring 25 is greater than the inside diameter of the lower ring 2i so as to provide sufiicientspace for the fianged head of the tracer finger 25.

A cylindrical spacing member 21 made of hard tool steel is fitted within a large diameter bore in the upper portion of the shell. This cylindrical member is held firmly against the upper hardened ring 26 by means of an annular member 28 which is in threaded engagement with the internal wall of the shell 23.

Within the cylindrical spacing member 21 is a clyindrical jacket 29 which may be made of any suitable magnetic material, e. g., one of the wellknown nickel-iron alloys such as Nicalloy or Permalloy. This jacket has a top cap 29a and a bottom cap 29b. These caps are provided with centrally disposed openings 29c and 29d, respectively.

Above the screw ring 28 is a disk member 30 made of hard tool steel. It is firmly seated on the ring 23 by means of a spring washer 3| the 4 tension of which may be suitably adjusted by means of a threaded annular member 32, which is in internal threaded engagement with the wall of the shell 23. The disk 30 is provided with an adjustable set screw 30a.

A hollow cylindrical member 33 made of a material possessing the property of magnetostrlction, such as nickel-steel, is arranged centrally within the cylindrical jacket 29 and is of sufiicient length to project through the openings 23c and 23d in the top and bottom caps 23a and 28b, respectively. This magnetostrlctive element is firmly held between the set screw 30a and the top surface of the horizontal flange of the tracer finger. As shown, the top surface of the fiange is provided with a rounded recess to receive the rounded end of the cylindrical magnetostrictive element.

If a force is applied to the contact point 23b of the tracer finger in any radial direction in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the finger, a limited rotation of the finger 23 about a point on the seating ring 24 as a pivot will result. For example, if a force f1 acting toward the left is applied to the contact point 23b. the finger will be given a limited rotation in a clockwise direction about the point 25c as a center, and the fianged head 25a acting as a lever will apply a force to compress the magnetostrictive member. Likewise, if a force 2 acting toward the right is applied to the contact point 23b, the finger 25 is given a limited counterclockwise rotation about the point 2511 as a center, and the flanged head 25a will apply a force to compress the magnetostrictive member 33. Thus, the tracer finger 25 acts as a bell crank to apply a compressional force to the magnetostrictive member 33 in response to the application of force to the contact point 25b in any radial direction in a horizontal plane. The compression of the magnetostrictive element is therefore independent of the direction of the force applied to the tip of the tracer finger. In other words, the tracer is nondirectional. The application of a force to the magnetostrictive element efiects a change in its magnetic permeability.

Within the jacket 29 and surrounding the magnetostrictive member 33 is a coil 34 which is wound upon a spool 35 that is preferably made of a suitable phenolic condensation product, such as Bakelite. The magnetostrictive member and the jacket 23 form a magnetic circuit for the magnet flux produced by the coil. Leads 33 and 31 are brought out from the coil through openings in the top cap 29a, the disk 30, and the disk shaped terminal bracket 33 which is clamped in place at the upper end of the shell by means of an internally threaded clamping ring 39 which is in threaded engagement with the outside wall of the shell 23 at the upper end thereof. The coil 33 constitutes one arm of a Wheatstone bridge, the remaining arms of which comprise the resistor 40 plus the portion of resistor M at the left of the slider Illa, the resistor 42 plus the portion of resistor ll at the right of the slider, and the coil 43.

A periodically varying voltage of suitable frequency, e. g., 2,000 cycles per second is supplied to the opposite bridge points Ma and 4311 from an electric valve type oscillator 44. Any suitable type of oscillator may be used. The constructional details of the oscillatorare unimportant and the oscillator is therefore indicated conventionally in the drawings.

The Wheatstone bridge is initially balanced by adjustment of slider a when no force is applied to the tracer finger and the magnetostrictive element is prestressed. When a force is applied to the tracer finger, this force is multiplied and translated into a compressional force acting on the magnetostrictive member. The resulting change in permeability of the magnetostrictive member unbalances the Wheatstone bridge and causes a periodically varying voltage to appear across the opposite bridge points 40a and 42a. This unbalanced voltage is .applied to the input terminals of an electric valve type amplifier 45. Preferably the amplifier 45 is of the type which has a direct voltage output that is approximately linearly proportional to the eflective value of the periodically varying input voltage. Direct current power is supplied to the power input terminals 45a and 45b of the amplifier from a suitable source such as a regulated power supply (not shown) which is conventionally indicated in the drawings by the two supply lines 45. The circuit details of this amplifier are illustrated in Fig. 16.

As shown the amplifier comprises two stages of voltage amplification with a transformer output to a full wave rectifier. The first stage is a'pentode valve and the second stage is a triode valve. The two stages are coupled by means of capacitative coupling, The A-C voltage input is supplied to the terminals 45c, 45d and the D.-C. output voltage appears across the resistor between the terminals 45c and 45!.

Theirelationship between the force applied to the tracer finger and the output voltage of the amplifier 45 is illustrated graphically by the straight line curve 41 in Fig. 5, in which ordinates represent volts and abscissae represent force acting on the tracer finger. This curve 41 indicates that the direct voltage output is approximately linearly proportional to the force acting on the tracer finger.

The 'output voltage of amplifier 45 is applied simultaneously to the input terminals 48a, 45b,

1 and 49a, 49b of two electric valve type regulators 48 and 49, respectively, which are referred to as the sine regulator and the cosine regulator, respectively. The sine regulator is an electric valve apparatus which has a direct voltage output which approximates a sine function of the magnitude of the direct voltage applied to its input terminals. That is to say, that as the voltage applied to the input terminals 48a and 45b varies continuously and linearly from a minimum value to .a higher value, the voltage at the output term-' inals 48c and 48d of the sine regulator varies continuously from a minimum value to a maximum value and then to a minimum value, as indicated by the curve 50 of Fig. 5. Thecosine and cosine functions of the magnitude of this force.

As indicated in Fig.3, the cosine regulator comprises a plurality of electric valves 52, 55. and 54. Although th electric valves 52 and 53 may be of any suitable type, they are preferably twin triode valves of the "hard tube type. The valve 54 is a cold cathode type diode valve containing a small amount of an inert gas such as neon. The imsuch as the regulated power supply represented 6 portant characteristic of this time of valve is that when connected in series with a resistor across a source of variable voltage, the voltage drop across the terminals of the valve remains substantially constant.

Direct current power at a suitable voltage is supplied to the power input terminals 45c and 45! p or the cosine regulator from a suitable source by the two supply lines 45. A voltage divider comprising fixed resistor portions 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d and a variable resistor portion 55s is connected across the power input terminals 45 and paths of valve 52.

45). The cathodes 52a and 52b oi. valve 52 and 55a and 53b of valve 55 are connected by means of sliders to points on this voltage divider of progresslvely increasingly positive voltage so that the left-hand conducting path of valve 52 is biased to cutoff, and the right-hand path of valve 52 and both paths of valve 55 are biased beyond cutofi by progressively increasing amounts. The grids of both valves are all connected together to the input terminal 49a, and the negative terminal ofthe cathode voltage divider is connected to the input terminal 49b.

The anodes 52c and 52d of valve 52 and 530 and 53d of valve 58 connect through parallel adjustable resistors 55, 51, 55, and 59, respectively, and through a series resistor 50 to the anode of valve 54 which is connected to the positive power input terminal 49c.

The valve 54 is connected in series with a resistor 5| across the power supply, and a voltage divider comprising fixed resistor 62 and adjustable resistor 53 is connected across the valve 54. The power input voltage may be any suitable value which may be assumed, for example, to be 300 volts. Accordingly, the voltage of the terminal 54a is 300 volts positive. The slider 53a is initially adjusted to a point on the voltage divider such that the voltage drop between terminal 54a and the slider is equal to the voltage drop produced across the resistor 50 by the combined saturation currents of both conducting Assuming this voltage drop to be 50 volts, the slider 53a will be adjusted to the 250-volt point on the voltage divider 52, 53, and a net voltage of 50 volts will appear across the output terminals 490 and 49d when both valves 52 and 53 are at cutoff. This is the maximum positive output voltage of the cosine regulator and it exists when the force on the tracer finger is zero, as indicated by the point 5la on curve 5| in Fig. 5. As the force increases, the

* voltage supplied to the input terminals 49a and 49b increases linearly and in accordance with curve 41. This causes the left-hand conducting path of valve 52 to become conducting and to conduct an amount of current that increases as the input voltage increases. This increasing ourrent-produces an increasing voltage drop across resistor 50 which is in opposition to the voltage between terminals 54a and slider 53a so that the voltage of terminal 50a begins to decrease with the result that the net voltage across output terminals 49c and 49d decreases correspondingly. This is indicated in Fig. 5 by the negative slope of curve 5i between the points 5la and MD. The magnitude of the current conducted by the lefthand conducting path of valve 52, and consequently, the steepness of the curve 5| between points 5la and Nb, depends upon the adjustment of anode resistor 55.

When the force on the tracer finger increases to the value b and the input voltage increases to At this point, thesistor 8| is iurther increased until the saturation point is reached, which occurs when the force on the tracer finger has a value corresponding to the dotted line 0, Fig. 5. At this point, thevoltage drop across resistor ill is equal to the voltage drop between terminal "a and the slider 83a with the result that the net voltage across the output terminals llc and lid is zero, which condition is representedin Fig. 5 by the curve 5! crossing the zero axis at'point llc. The slope oi the curve 5| between points lib and Sic is.

made greater than the slope between 51a and Bib by adjusting the'resistor 51 to a lower value than resistor ll.

As the force on the tracer finger is increased beyond the value c, the left-hand and righthand paths of valve 58 are successively rendered conducting, and the voltage drop across resistor 80 is correspondingly increased with the result that the terminal 80a becomes more negative than the slider 83a, thereby reversing the polarity ol'the voltage across the output terminals.

With increasing force on the tracer finger the output voltage takes on the successive values indicated by the negative half of curve 5| until at a force corresponding to dotted line e, both conducting paths of valve 51 are saturated and the voltage drop across resistor 60 is twice the voltage drop between terminal 54a and slider 63a, so that the net voltage across the output terminals 49c and 49d is equal in magnitude and opposite in polarity to the maximum positive voltage. This maximum negative voltage is represented in Fig. 5 by the point 5le, the ordinate of which is equal to but opposite in sign to the ordinate of the point iila which represents the maximum positive voltage. Thus it is seen that by proper adjustment oi! resistors 56, 51, 5B, and II. the voltage output of the cosine regulator is caused to approximate a true cosine function of the magnitude 0! the force applied to the tracer finger; A closer approximation, if desired, can be obtained by increasing the number of valves.

The sine regulator 48 is similar in most respects to the cosine regulator. It comprises two electric valves 64 and 85 which are identical with valves 52 and SI of the cosine regulator. The grids of both valves are connected together to the input terminal 48a. A voltage divider comprising fixed resistors 66a, 66b, 56c, and 56d and adjustable resistor tie is connected across the power input terminals lie and 48!. The cathodes Na, 84b, 85a, 85b are connected to points on the voltage divider of progressively increasingly positive voltage, so that the left-hand conducting path of valve 84 is biased to cutoff and the right-hand path and both paths of valve 65 are biased beyond cutoii' by progressively increasing amounts. The anodes 64c and Bid or valve 64 are connected to output terminal 48c, and the anodes 85c and 65d are connected to output ter-.

minal it. Two resistors 58 and 69 are connected in series across the output terminals and V r8 their Junction point Ila is connected to the positive power input terminal 48c. when both valves are at cutoi! the voltage difterence across the output terminals is zero. However, as the force on the tracer finger is increased from zero, the voltage from amplifier ll is applied to the input terminals "a and no, and the left and right-hand paths of valve ll become successively conducting and produce voltage drops across resistor ll so that a net voltage appears across the output terminals llc and lid. The portion of the curve ll between zero and "b represents theoutput voltage as the iorce increases from zero to the value b, and the portion of the curve between the points at and 5 00 represents the output voltage as the force increases from b to c. As the force increases beyond the value c both paths of valve I! become successively conducting and produce a voltage drop across resistor 89 which is in opposite sense to the voltage drop across resistor I8. and therefore. decreases the net voltage at the output terminals. The portion of curve 50 between points 500 and 50d represents the output voltage as the force increases from value c to value d, and the portion between the points 50d and He represents the output voltage as the force iiicreases from value d to value c.

Thus the force on the tracer finger increases linearly from zero, the output voltage of the cosine regulator it varies continuously from a maximum positive value to a maximum negative value, and the magnitude or the output voltage of the sine regulator 48 is simultaneously varied continuously but inversely to the magnitude of the output voltage 01' the cosine regulator. However, the polarity of the output voltage of the sine regulator does not change.

The transverse movement or the cutter i8 is effected by means or an electric motor 10, the drive shaft of which is connected to the cross slide ll of the lathe through suitable driving connections illustrated as comprising worm gearing H, shaft 12, bevel gearing l3, and a lead screw Although the motor Til may be of any suitable type, it is illustrated as a split series field direct current motor. Power is supplied to the motor "i0 from a suitable source of single phase alternating voltage which is represented by the two supply lines 15 through a transformer 18 and suitable electric valve apparatus comprising the thyr'atron valves ll and i8. These two valves l1 and iii are connected as half-wave rectifiers and individually supply voltage to the motor through one or the other of the split field windings Illa or 10b to effect rotation of the motor in the forward or reverse direction as required. The anodes 11a and 18a of thyratrons Ti and ID are connected through the field windings 70a and (0b in parallel and through the armature of motor 10' to the right-hand terminal of the secondary winding of transformer 16, and the cathodes Tlb and 18b are connected to the lefthand terminals of the secondary winding. A pair of resistors 19 and is connected in series relationship with each other across the control grids 11c and lie, and the junction point 19a of these two resistors is connected through the active portion of a potentiometer resistor 8| between the terminal 19a and the slider 8|a to the cathodes 11b and 181). A periodically varying voltage is supplied from a source 82 through a phase shifting bridge network to the potentiometer Bi and thence to the control grids lie and the same source as the source I! to which the anodes are connected. As shown, the phase shifting bridge network'comprises the opposite halves of the secondary winding of the transformer 83, the adjustable resistor 8.4, and the capacitor 85. By suitably adjusting the resistor 84, the alternating component of voltage supplied to the control grids may be dephased with respect to the anode voltage. Preferably the resistor is ad- Justed-so that the alternating voltage supplied to the control grids is dephased from the anode voltage by approximately 90 degrees lagging, with the result that the thyratrons Ti and I8 conduct only during a small portion oi the positive haltcycle of the voltage applied to the anodes 11a and Ila.

For the purpose of amplifying, the 'direct voltage output of the cosine regulator, a suitable ampliiier comprising atwin triode valve 86 is provided. Power is supplied to the power input terminals 88a and 86b of this amplifier from a suit able independent D. C. source. The control grids of this amplifier are biased to provide push pull class A operation with both paths of the valve conducting equal amounts of current through resisters 81 and 88. when a voltage is supplied from the cosine regulator to the grids of valve 88, one path is caused to conduct more current than the other, depending upon the polarity of the voltage from the cosine regulator with the result that the voltage drop across one of the speed for any output voltage resistors 81 and 88 is increased and the voltage drop across the other is decreased. As a result, a direct current voltage'component in the positive direction is applied to the grid of one of the thyratrons. This direct current component adds to the alternating current component supplied to the grid in such a direction as to have the eflect of advancing the phase of the grid voltage thereby to render the thyratron conduct ing by an amount proportional to the magnitude of the voltage supplied from the cosine regulator to the amplifier valve 86. At the same time, a direct current component is supplied to the control grid 01' the other thyratron in such a direction that it further retards the phase of the grid voltage, and thus the thyratrons 11 and '18 are selectively energized to efl'ect rotation of motor Iii in one direction or the other depending upon the polarity of the output voltage of the cosine regulator. In the circuit shown whenthe output terminal 49c oi the cosineregulator is positive, the thyratron Tl is energized and that current is supplied to the motor "H3 in such a direction for example as to cause the tool [5 to be moved inward toward the work piece 10.

Conversely, when the output terminal 49d of the cosine regulator is positive. the thyratron '18 will be energized and the motor will be caused to rotate in a direction to withdraw the tool l5 from the work. The rotational response may be reversed by means of a switch in lines 49c, 49d as required.

The amplification ratio oi amplifier 86 is such that a very small voltage; e. g., one volt across the output terminals of the cosine regulatorwill fully advance the phase oi the grid voltage of one or the other of the thyratrons I1 and 18. As a result, the active thyratron tends to supply a 1o 1 For the purpose of accurately regulating the speed 01' motor III to a value correspondingto the instantaneous magnitude of the output voltage of the cosine regulator,

supplying to the grid circuit 01' the amplifier valve 86 a signal voltagewhich is proportional to the speed oi the motor 10 and opposite in polarity to the voltage supplied from the cosine regulator. This signal voltage is provided by means of a tachometer generator 89 which is driven by motor Ill and generates a voltage which is linearly proportional to the speed of motor 10. This signal voltage is applied across a resistor 90 in the grid circuit oi amplifier valve 86 so that it opposes the voltage supplied from the cosine regulator, and the diflerence of the two voltages is the effective control'voltage on the grid of the amplifler valve. The tendency of this feedback circuit is to regulate the signal voltage to the output voltage of the cosine regulator. In other words, it maintains the signal voltage approximately equal to the output voltage of the cosine regulator.

I Since the signal voltage is linearly proportional to the speed oi motor 10, an equilibrium condithe cosine regulator. Since the output voltage oi the cosine regulator is a cosine function of the magnitude of the force applied to the tracer finger, .the speed oi the motor Ill will also be a cosine function or the magnitude of this force.

The longitudinal feed lead screw is driven by a motor 9| which is controlled to operate at a speed which is proportional to the magnitude of the output voltage of the sine regula or 48 by means of electric valve a paratus shown within the dotted rectangle 92, This apparatu is identical with the electric valve apparatus which controls the cross feed motor 10, and accord n y. a repetition of the description and opera ion of this electric valve apparatus is omitted. The techometer generator 93 performsthe same function in regulating the speed of the longitudinal feed. motor 9| that is performed by tachometer generator 89 in regulating the speed of the cross feed drive motor 10.

A voltmeter 84 is connected across the output terminals oi the amplifier 45. The scale of this meter is so calibrated that each graduat on corresponds to .00005'inch deflection of the tracer finger. The meter can thus be used as a very accurate gauge for electrical adjustment of the cross feed of the compound rest for taking finish cuts. Since it is possible to estimate fairly accurately one-halt the. distance between scale graduations. the cross feed can be adjusted to within .000025 inch of a desired position. This degree of accuracy exceeds by a wide margin that obtainable by means otthe usual mechanical scales on the cross feed adjustment of a lathe. The electrical adjustment consists in shifting the potentiometer 4|. Also, the voltmeter 94 serves as an extremely accurate measuring device in setcurrent to the armature of the motor III which is several times full load value. This would tend oi cours to accelerate the motor 10 to maximum ting up a templet on the templet supportingplates. Any lack of parallelism between the iongitudinal edge of the templet and'the center axis of the lathe and the amount 01 such divergence is readily indicated on the meter by moving the tracerflnger along the longitudinal edges oi the template with no work piece in the lathe.

With the foregoing understanding of the elemerits and their organization in the system, the

means are provided for operation of the system will readily be under stood from the following detailed description.

It may be assumed that the tool and tracer are in position for starting a out. In other words, the tracer point 25!) will be withdrawn from the longitudinal edge l3a at the left of the pattern, as indicated in Fig. 6 which is an enlarged schematic view of the portionof the pattern constituting the longitudinal edge i311 and the semicircular edge I311. The tracer point 251) is in the position indicated in Fig. 6, and the tool I5 is in a corresponding position with respect to the work piece ID.

The system is energized by closing the switches 95, 96, and 91. Although the switches are illustrated as simple manually operated knife switches, it will be understood of course that they may be remotely controlled electromagnetic contactors. When the tracer point 25b is in the position illustrated in Fig. 6, no force is exerted on the tracer finger. Since, when no force is exerted on the tracer finger. the output voltage 01' the cosine regulator is maximum and the output of the sine regulator is zero, as indicated in Fig. 5, the cross feed motor 10 which is controlled by the cosine regulator will advance the tool toward the work piece and at the same time advance the tracer finger toward the templot at maximum speed, as indicated by the dotted arrowassociated with the tracer point 25b in Fig. 6. The output voltage of the sine regulator being zero, the longitudinal feed mtor 9| will be at rest and there will be no component of longitudinal movement of the tool. Th s relationship of the speeds of the cross feed motor 10 and the longitudinal teed motor Si is indicated in Fig. 7.

When the tracer point 25! engages the edge l3a oi the pattern, a force is exerted on the tracer finger and this force quickly builds up to the value indicated by the dashed line 0' in Fig. 8, and the magnitude of this force is also indicated by the vector 95a in Fig. 6. As indicated in Fig. 8, when a force of this magnitude is ap-- plied to the tracer finger, the output oi! the cosine regulator decreases to zero and the output of the sine regulator increases to a maximum, with the result that the speed of the cross feed motor is decreased to zero and the speed of the longitudinal feed motor 9! is increased to maximum. This results in moving the tracer finger in a longitudinal direction with zero component of transverse motion as indicated by the dotted arrow 91a. Simultaneously of course the cutter I is moved along the work piece in the same direction.

As the tracer point 25b begins .to move out of engagement with the edge 13a of the pattern at the corner Hit), the force on the tracer finger decreases at a rapid rate with the result that the speed of the cross feed motor is rapidly increased to maximum and the speed of the longitudinal feed motor BI is rapidly decreased to zero. This causes the tracer point to advance inwardly along the semicircular edge lib oi the pattern as illustrated by the dotted line 98 which indicates the path of movement of the center of the tracer point. The cutter is of course maintained in a corresponding position with respect to the work piece.

As the tracer finger b is moved inwardly along the semicircular curve Hi), the force on the tracer finger again increases linearly, thereby decreasing the speed of the cross teed motor HI and increasing the speed of the longitudi al 12 teed motor 8 I. When the tracer point has moved through 45 degrees of are along the semicircular edge l3b, the force exerted on the tracer finger attains the magnitude indicated by the dashed line b in Fig. 9, with the result that the cross feed motor 10 and longitudinal feed motor 9| operate at equal speeds as indicated in Fig. 9 by the intersection of the sine curve and cosine curve on the dashed vertical line b. Since the speeds of both motors are equal, the tracer point and the cutter 15 will have a direction relative to the pattern and work piece, respectively, which is at an angle of 45 degrees to the horizontal edge Ilia as indicated by the arrow 91?) in Fig. 6.

When the tracer finger reaches a position haliway along the semicircular curve l3b, the Iorce on the tracer finger represented by the vector 86c again increases to the value represented by the dashed line c in Fig. 8 which is the same value of force that was exerted on the tracer finger when it first came into contact with the longitudinal edge 13a. As a result, at this point the tracer finger and the cutter are moved in a longitudinal direction with no component of transverse motion as indicated by the dotted arrow Slain Fig. 6.

As the tracer finger 25b moves beyond the midposition on the semicircular curve in Fig. 6, the force on the tracer finger is increased beyond the value indicated by the vertical line 0' because the longitudinal feed motor 91 tends to keep forcing the tracer finger against the semicircular edge l3b and the speed of the cross feed motor is zero. But, as the force increases beyond the value indicated by the dashed line 0, the output voltage of the cosine regulator passes through zero and the polarity of the voltage reverses, with the result that the cross teed motor Hi rotates in the reverse direction to withdraw the tracer finger and the cutter.

This reverse component of the cross feed motion produced by the reverse rotation of the cross feed motor combined with the longitudinal component produced by the longitudinal feed motor causes the tracer and the cutter to follow a path along the semicircular edge [3b between the positions indicated by the vectors 96c and 96d in Fig. 6.

At the 45-degree position represented by the position of the vector 96d, the force on the tracer finger attains a value indicated by the magnitude of the vector 96d which corresponds to the magnitude of the force indicated by the dashed line (1 in Fig. 10, with the result that the cross feed motor Ill and the longitudinal feed motor SI operate at speeds represented by the intersection of the dashed line (1' with the sine and cosine curves. In other words, the speeds of both motors will be equal and the cross feed motor Ill will be rotating in the reverse direction, i. e., the direction to withdraw the tracer finger and the tool. The results of these two components will produce a resultant relative movement of the tracer point and pattern indicated by the dotted arrow 91d and will of course also produce a corresponding relative movement between the cutter and the work piece.

As the tracer point approaches the corner lid, the component of movement produced by the cross feed motor can no longer relieve the force on the tracer finger, and consequently this force continues to increase until when it attains a magnitude represented by the vector 96c and by I the position of the dashed line e' in Fig. 11, the speed of the longitudinal feed motor 9| is decreased to zero and the speed or the cross feed motor 10 is increased to a maximum in the reverse direction as indicated by the intersection of the dashed line c with the sine and cosine curves. As a result, the tracer point and the tool will be withdrawn atmaximum speed.

However. as the tracer point tends to ride of! the edge of the templet at the corner l3d, the force on the tracer-finger decreases rapidly to the value indicated by the position of the dashed line in Fig, 8,-with the result that the tracer finger and cutter are moved in a longitudinal .direction with no component of transverse mo!- tion as indicated by the intersections of the dashed line 0' with the sine and cosine curves 50' and in Fig. 8'. Thus, the relative movement of the cutter and work piece is controlled to follow a path corresponding to the contour of the pattern.

Thus, the relative movement of the cutter and work piece is controlled to follow a path corresponding to thecontour of the pattern.

The constancy of the magnitude of the velocity V of the relative movement of the cutter and workpiece for all cutting angles on the contour is illustrated in Fig. 12 and is explained mathematically as follows: The relationship between the sine and cosine functions of a variable quantity such as an angle is defined for all values of the angle by the equation:

(1) sin=+cos=1, or (2) \/sin+cos==1, which is a constant.

Since the velocity of the longitudinal components VL is always proportional to the sine function of the magnitude of the force F on the tracer finger and the velocity of the transverse component V1 is always proportional to the cosine function of-the magnitude of the force F, therefore,

(3) \/Vz. +Vc==a constant, and since the resultant velocity V=\ Vr.=+Vc, therefore V equals a constant.

In other words, the velocity V of the relative movement of the cutter and work piece is constant for all angles'oi such movement along the path of the contour of the work piece.

In Fig, 13 which illustrates an application of the invention to a polar .co-ordinate type milling machine, the work piece I00, which is illustrated as a cam, is mounted on a rotating tablellll and the pattern H12 is secured to a frustum shaped spindle 03.

The milling cutter Hi4 together with its driving motor I05 are mounted on a head I06 which, in turn, is slidably mounted in ways llila built in the crossrail 181. In many types of milling machines, the cross rail is slidably mounted on up rights to provide for elevation, but in the simple milling machine illustrated, the crossrail is fixedly secured to an upright I08 which preferably is mounted on a platen I H which is slidably mounted on the slide I091: with which the bedplate I09 is provided.

Movement of the platen in together with the rotating table l 0l which supports the work piece 14 3 through suitable worm gearing III. This component of the relative movement of the cutter and work piece represented by the vector V'c in Fig. 14 corresponds to the transverse compoduced by the motor I I 5 and represented by the vector V'r. corresponds to the longitudinalcomponent of movement produced by the longitudinal feed motor 9| in Fig. 1.

The cross feed motor 3 and the longitudina or rotary i'eed motor H5 are controlled by means of electric valve apparatus (not shown) which is identical with the electric valve apparatus of Fig. 1. In other words, the motors H3 and H5 replace the motors l0 and 9|, respectively in the control system of Fig. 1.

I The operation or the apparatus of Fig. 13 when translated into terms describing milling machine operation instead of lathe operation is in all material respects identical with the operation of the system of Fig. 1, and a repetition of such operation is omitted.

Although in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes this invention is described as embodied in concrete form and the principle thereof has been described, together with the best mode in which it is now contemplated.

applying that principle, it will be understood that the apparatus shown and described is merely illustrative and that the invention is not limited thereto, since alterations and modifications will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit of this invention or from the scope of the annexed claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure" by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A control system comprising in combination, a movable element having an initial position, a pair of members, a separate driving means for each or said members and means responsive to a continuously increasing displacement of said element from said initial position for producing a linearly varying voltage, means for deriving from said voltage two inversely varying control voltages, means responsive to one or said inversely varying voltages for energizing one of said driving means to eiIect a component of relative movement of said members with a velocity that varies continuously from a maximum value in one direction to a maximum value in the reverse direction and means responsive to the other of said inversely varying voltages for energizing the other of said driving means toeffect an angularly displaced component of relative movement of said members with a velocity that e varies continuously from a minimum value to a and the spindle I03 which supports the pattern 7 .is eflected by means of a lead screw (not shown) which is driven by means or an electric motor maximum value and from said maximum value to a minimum value.

. 2. A control system comprising in combination. a movable element having an initial position, a pair of members, means responsive to a continuously increasing displacement of said element from said initial position for producing a voltage that varies substantially linearly with said displacement, electric valve means ior deriving from said voltage a first control voltage that varies from a positive maximum to a negative maximum and a, second control voltage that simultaneously varies from a minimum value to a maximum value and from said last mentioned maximum value to a minimum value, and driving means responsive to said first and second control voltages for effecting relative movement of said members with a velocity having a com ponent that varies from a maximum value in one direction to a maximum value in the reverse direction and an angularly displaced inversely varying component,

3. A control system comprising in combination, a movable control element having an initial position, a, pair of driving means and means respon-- sive to a continuous displacement of said control element from said initial position for producing a voltage which varies approximately linearly with said force, means responsive to said voltage for producing a first control voltage which varies from a positive maximum to a negative maximum, and a second control voltage that varies simultaneously from a minimum value to a maximum value and from said last mentioned maximum value to a minimum value, means respon sive to said first control voltage for energizing one of said driving means to operate at a speed that varies continuously from a maximum value in one direction to a maximum value in the reverse direction and means responsive to said second voltage for energizing the other of said driving means to operate in one direction at a speed that varies inversely with the speed of said first driving means.

4. A control system comprising in combination, a magnetostrictive control element, a pair of driving means, means for applying a force to said element, and means responsive to the resulting change in permeability of said element for producing a voltage that varies approximately linearly with said force, and electric valve means for deriving from said voltage a first control voltage that varies continuously from a positive maximum value to a negative maximum value and a second control voltage that simultaneously varies from a minimum value to a maximum value and from said last mentioned maximum value to a minimum value, and means responsiveto said control voltages for effecting operation 01' one of said driving means at a speed that varies continuously from a maximum value in one direction to a maximum value in the reverse direction and simultaneous operation of the of driving means, means for applying a variable I force to said element, means responsive to the resulting change in permeability of said element for producing a continuously variable voltage, means for deriving from said variable voltage two inversely varying control voltages and means responsive to said inversely varying voltages for effecting operation of said driving means at inversely varying speeds.

6. A control system comprising in combination, a magnetostrictive control element, a pair of electric motors, means for applying a variable force to said element, means responsive to the resulting change in permeability of said element for producing a continuously variable control voltage, means for deriving from said voltage two continuously and inversely varying control voltages, and means controlled by said inversely varying voltages for operation of said motors at speeds that vary inversely with respect to each other as said force is continuously varied.

7. A control system comprising in combination, a magnetostrictive control element, a pair of electric motors, means for applying a variable force to said element, means responsive to the resulting change in permeability of said element for producing a direct control voltage that varies substantially linearly as said force varies, means for deriving from said voltage a first control voltage that varies continuously from a maximum value of one polarity to amaximum value of the opposite polarity and a second control voltage of fixed polarity that varies inversely in magnitude with respect to said first control voltage, and means controlled by said derived first control voltage for effecting operation of one of said motors at a speed that varies continuously from a maximum value in one direction to a maximum value in the other direction.

8. A control system comprising in combination, a magnetostrictive control element, a pair of electric motors, means for applying a force to said magnetostrictive element, means responsive to the resulting change in permeability of said element for producing a voltage that varies continuously as said force varies, electric valve HANS P. KUEHNI. NORMAN G. BRANSON. 

